The Rise Of The Recall

What these numbers suggest is that the recall, much like the filibuster or a vote against the federal debt ceiling, is one of those rarely-used political tools that suddenly becomes commonplace during a period of intense partisanship. Using them for regular political disagreements, rather than for extraordinary cases of malfeasance, may seem crass and opportunistic. But if you have these tools lying around, they’re simply too tempting for a member of an aggrieved minority party to ignore.